Sentence Structure

This exercise in this resource asks you to apply your knowledge about common errors in sentence structure: run-
ons, commas splices, and fused sentences. Print the exercise and fuse together sentences appropriately, avoiding
run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences. Click the "Go to Answers" link to see the answers for this exercise.

Please use the navigation bar on the left or the links below to access the individual exercises.

Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences

This exercise asks you apply your knowledge of run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences by
joining two independent clauses. Click the link at the bottom of the page to see the answers.

Exercise : Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences

Run-ons, comma splices, and fused sentences are all names given to
compound sentences that are not punctuated correctly. The best way to
avoid such errors is to punctuate compound sentences correctly by using
one or the other of these rules.

Join the two independent clauses with one of the coordinating conjunctions
(and, but, for, or, nor, so, yet), and use a comma before the connecting
word.

_________________________, and _________________________.

1. He enjoys walking through the country. He often goes backpacking on his

vacations.

When you do not have a connecting word (or when you use a connecting
word other than and, but, for, or nor, so, or yet between the two
independent clauses) use a semicolon (;).

__________________________;_____________________________.

2. He often watched TV when there were only reruns. She preferred to read
instead.

or

__________________________; however,____________________.
So, run-ons and fused sentences are terms describing two independent
clauses that are joined together with no connecting word or punctuation to
separate the clauses. The following sentences are both examples that are
missing the connecting words and/or the appropriate punctuation.

3. They weren't dangerous criminals they were detectives in disguise.

4. I didn't know which job I wanted I was too confused to decide.

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Answer : Run-ons, Comma Splices, and Fused Sentences

The original sentences are in italics. Corrected sentences are in bold.

1. He enjoys walking through the country. He often goes backpacking on his

vacations.

He enjoys walking through the country, and he often goes backpacking on his vacations.

2. He often watched TV when there were only reruns. She preferred to read
instead.

He often watched TV when there were only reruns; she preferred to read instead.

-OR-

He often watched TV when there were only reruns; however, she preferred to read instead.

3. They weren't dangerous criminals they were detectives in disguise.

They weren't dangerous criminals; they were detectives in disguise.

4. I didn't know which job I wanted I was too confused to decide.

I didn't know which job I wanted, so I was too confused to decide.

Subject-Verb Agreement
This resource includes an exercise that asks you to identify the correct verb in a sentence that you may print. Once
you print the exercise, correct the errors. Click the "Go to Answers" link to see the answers for this exercise.

Please use the navigation bar on the left or the links below to access the individual exercises.
Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

This exercise asks you apply your knowledge of subject and verb agreement by choosing the correct
verb that agrees with the subject. Click the link at the bottom of the page to see the answers.

Exercise : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

Choose the correct form of the verb that agrees with the subject.

1. Annie and her brothers (is, are) at school.

2. Either my mother or my father (is, are) coming to the meeting.

3. The dog or the cats (is, are) outside.

4. Either my shoes or your coat (is, are) always on the floor.

5. George and Tamara (doesn't, don't) want to see that movie.

6. Benito (doesn't, don't) know the answer.

7. One of my sisters (is, are) going on a trip to France.

8. The man with all the birds (live, lives) on my street.

9. The movie, including all the previews, (take, takes) about two hours to
watch.

10. The players, as well as the captain, (want, wants) to win.

11. Either answer (is, are) acceptable.

12. Every one of those books (is, are) fiction.

13. Nobody (know, knows) the trouble I've seen.

14. (Is, Are) the news on at five or six?

15. Mathematics (is, are) John's favorite subject, while Civics (is, are)
Andrea's favorite subject.

16. Eight dollars (is, are) the price of a movie these days.

17. (Is, Are) the tweezers in this drawer?

18. Your pants (is, are) at the cleaner's.

19. There (was, were) fifteen candies in that bag. Now there (is, are) only
one left!

20. The committee (debates, debate) these questions carefully.

21. The committee (leads, lead) very different lives in private.

22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, (greets, greet) the press
cordially.

23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, (is, are) in this case.

Go to Answers

Answer : Subject and Verb Agreement Exercise

1. Annie and her brothers are at school.

2. Either my mother or my father iscoming to the meeting.

3. The dog or the cats are outside.

4. Either my shoes or your coat isalways on the floor.

5. George and Tamara don't want to see that movie.

6. Benito doesn't know the answer.

7. One of my sisters is going on a trip to France.

8. The man with all the birds lives on my street.

9. The movie, including all the previews, takes about two hours to watch.

10. The players, as well as the captain, want to win.

11. Either answer is acceptable.

12. Every one of those books isfiction.

13. Nobody knows the trouble I've seen.

14. Is the news on at five or six?

15. Mathematics is John's favorite subject, while Civics is Andrea's favorite
subject.

16. Eight dollars is the price of a movie these days.

17. Are the tweezers in this drawer?

18. Your pants are at the cleaner's.

19. There were fifteen candies in that bag. Now there is only one left!

20. The committee debates these questions carefully.

21. The committee leads very different lives in private.

22. The Prime Minister, together with his wife, greets the press cordially.

23. All of the CDs, even the scratched one, are in this case.

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Eliminating Wordiness
The three exercises in this exercise ask you to revise sentences to make them more concise. Print the exercises
and correct the errors. Click the "Go to Answers" link to see the answers for this exercise.

Please use the navigation bar on the left or the links below to access the individual exercises.

Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 1

This exercise asks you apply your knowledge of eliminating wordiness by revising the sample
sentences. Click the link at the bottom of the page to see the answers.

Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 2

This exercise asks you apply your knowledge of eliminating wordiness by combining sentences. Click
the link at the bottom of the page to see the answers.

Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 3

This exercise asks you apply your knowledge of eliminating wordiness by revising the sample passage.
Click the link at the bottom of the page to see the answers.
Exercise : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 1

Revise these sentences to state their meaning in fewer words. Avoid passive
voice, needless repetition, and wordy phrases and clauses. The first
sentence has been done as an example.

1. Many local farmers plan to attend next Friday's meeting.

2. Although Bradley Hall is regularly populated by students, close study of

the building as a structure is seldom undertaken by them.

3. He dropped out of school on account of the fact that it was necessary for
him to help support his family.

4. It is expected that the new schedule will be announced by the bus

company within the next few days.

5. There are many ways in which a student who is interested in meeting

foreign students may come to know one.

6. It is very unusual to find someone who has never told a deliberate lie on
purpose.

7. Trouble is caused when people disobey rules that have been established
for the safety of all.

8. A campus rally was attended by more than a thousand students. Five

students were arrested by campus police for disorderly conduct, while
several others are charged by campus administrators with organizing a
public meeting without being issued a permit to do so.

9. The subjects that are considered most important by students are those
that have been shown to be useful to them after graduation.

10. In the not too distant future, college freshmen must all become aware of
the fact that there is a need for them to make contact with an academic
adviser concerning the matter of a major.

11. In our company there are wide-open opportunities for professional

growth with a company that enjoys an enviable record for stability in the
dynamic atmosphere of aerospace technology.

12. Some people believe in capital punishment, while other people are
against it; there are many opinions on this subject.
Answer : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 1

Please note that these are a sampling of possible answers. These should be
used as a guide to show what is possible, not as a source of the only
"correct" answers for the exercise. Here are our suggestions:

1. Many local farmers plan to attend next Friday's meeting.

2. Bradley Hall is usually filled with students who do not study the building
as a structure.

3. He dropped out of school to support his family.

4. The bus company will probably announce its schedule during the next few
days.

5. Any student who wants to meet foreign students can do so in many ways.

6. Rarely will you find someone who has never told a deliberate lie.

7. Disobeying safety regulations causes trouble.

8. Five out of more than a thousand students at a campus rally were

arrested for disorderly conduct, and several others were charged by campus
administrators with organizing a public meeting without a permit.

9. Students think that the most important subjects are those that will be
useful after graduation.

10. Soon college freshmen must realize that they need to contact their
advisors about their choices of majors.

11. Our company provides opportunities for professional growth and stability
in the dynamic field of aerospace technology.

12. There are people who are for and people who are against capital
punishment.

Exercise : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 2

Directions: Combine each sentence group into one concise sentence.

1. The cliff dropped to reefs seventy-five feet below. The reefs below the steep cliff were barely
visible through the fog.
2. Their car is gassed up. It is ready for the long drive. The drive will take all night.

3. Sometimes Stan went running with Blanche. She was a good athlete. She was on the track
team at school.

4. Taylor brought some candy back from Europe. It wasn't shaped like American candy. The
candy tasted kind of strange to him.

5. Government leaders like to mention the creation of new jobs. They claim that these new jobs
indicate a strong economy. They don't mention that low-wage jobs without benefits and security
have replaced many good jobs.

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Answer : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 2

1. The cliffs dropped to the reefs seventy-five feet below, which were barely
visible through the fog.

2. Their car is gassed up and ready for an all-night drive.

3. Sometimes Stan went running with Blanche, a good athlete on the track
team at school.

4. Taylor brought some strange-tasting candy back from Europe that wasn't
shaped like American candy.

5. Government leaders like to mention the creation of new jobs, claiming

that these jobs indicate a strong economy, but ignoring the fact that low
wage jobs without benefits and security have replaced many good jobs.

Exercise : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 3

Revise the following passage, avoiding wordiness and undesirable repetition.

A large number of people enjoy reading murder mysteries regularly. As a

rule, these people are not themselves murderers, nor would these people
really ever enjoy seeing someone commit an actual murder, nor would most
of them actually enjoy trying to solve an actual murder. They probably enjoy
reading murder mysteries because of this reason: they have found a way to
escape from the monotonous, boring routine of dull everyday existence.
To such people the murder mystery is realistic fantasy. It is realistic because
the people in the murder mystery are as a general rule believable as people.
They are not just made up pasteboard figures. It is also realistic because the
character who is the hero, the character who solves the murder mystery,
solves it not usually by trial and error and haphazard methods but by
exercising a high degree of logic and reason. It is absolutely and totally
essential that people who enjoy murder mysteries have an admiration for
the human faculty of logic.

But murder mysteries are also fantasies. The people who read such books of
fiction play a game. It is a game in which they suspend certain human
emotions. One of these human emotions that they suspend is pity. If the
reader stops to feel pity and sympathy for each and every victim that is
killed or if the reader stops to feel terrible horror that such a thing could
happen in our world of today, that person will never enjoy reading murder
mysteries. The devoted reader of murder mysteries keeps uppermost in
mind at all times the goal of arriving through logic and observation at the
final solution to the mystery offered in the book. It is a game with life and
death. Whodunits hopefully help the reader to hide from the hideous horrors
of actual life and death in the real world.

Go to Answers

Answer : Eliminating Wordiness Exercise 3

Many people who have not committed, seen, or solved a murder, or

felt any desire to do any of the above, enjoy reading murder
mysteries. Reading these books allows people to escape the
monotony of everyday life.

Now it's your turn to be the expert! Using these models, how would you
continue condensing the essay in Part Three?